Storms Knock Out Power to Thousands of Evergy Customers
TOPEKA, Kan. (KPR) - Storms packing heavy rain, high winds and lightning rolled across eastern Kansas and into Missouri overnight, knocking out power to more than 52,000 customers of Evergy. Parts of Topeka, Lawrence and the Kansas City metro areas suffered the most damage. According to the Evergy outage map, power was restored to more than half of the affected customers before noon. Continued rain and localized flooding have hampered electrical crews in some areas.
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Fire Officials: 23 Water Rescues Performed as Storms Drench Kansas City Area
KANSAS CITY, Mo.(KSHB) — Heavy rainfall led to flooding and dangerous road conditions around the Kansas City area Thursday morning. KSHB TV reports that crews with the Kansas City Fire Department performed 23 water rescues early Thursday morning after several inches of rain fell overnight. No injuries were reported.
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Cold Front Brings Thunderstorms, Heavy Rain, Flooding
UNDATED (KC Star/KPR) — A cold front moving through the KPR listening area Thursday morning brought with it scattered thunderstorms and heavy rain, prompting the National Weather Service to issue flash flood and flood warnings. While the flash flood warnings have been lifted, several flood warnings remained in effect late Thursday morning. (Click here for the latest National Weather Service advisories and warnings.) The heavy rain caused minor flooding in low-lying areas. The Kansas City Star reports the daily record for rainfall in Kansas City, Mo., was more than doubled on Wednesday at 2.78 inches, beating the old record of 1.35 inches set in 1968.
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Lawmakers Discuss Policy Changes to Kansas Medicaid Program Following Funding Cuts
WICHITA, Kan. (KMUW) – Kansas health care leaders are preparing for the impact of Medicaid funding cuts on state hospitals. KMUW reports that state lawmakers discussed a number of policy changes this week, including how federal Medicaid cuts could impact state hospitals. Kansas will primarily be impacted by state directed payments, which hospitals use to cover costs from uninsured patients. Christine Osterlund is the state Medicaid director. She says hospitals like KU and Children’s Mercy will have less money to draw from. “Right now, we do know that, especially hospitals who primarily receive these payments, there's some risk there that they would start losing funding under these programs,” she clarified. The state is required to decrease payments by 10% a year starting in 2028 until they're capped at 110% of Medicare. KDHE is still analyzing the full impact of the bill.
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988 Suicide and Crisis Line to Drop Counselors Trained to Aid LGBTQ Callers
UNDATED (KNS) – The Trump administration is ending suicide prevention services designed specifically for LGBTQ youth. The Kansas News Service reports that the 988 Suicide and Crisis lifeline will no longer have counselors who are specially trained to help LGBTQ people. Democratic Representative Sharice Davids is the first openly gay member of Congress from Kansas. She says the program helped young people who often feel especially isolated.
“This isn’t just a phone line, this isn’t politics, this is people (...) It’s people who are trying to survive in a world that tells them that they don’t belong and that they shouldn’t be here,” she said.
The federal agency that operates the 988 lifeline says anyone can still call and receive help.
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Wichita School District Gives Initial Approval to New Bond Issue
WICHITA, Kan. (KNS) – Wichita school district leaders gave the initial go-ahead Thursday to put another bond issue to voters next year. The Kansas News Service reports that Wichita voters narrowly rejected a $450 million bond issue in February. Since then, the state’s largest district has been searching for a plan to address aging buildings and deferred maintenance. Chief Financial Officer Addi Lowell says another bond is the only way to finance needed upgrades, and she proposed aiming for the November 2026 ballot. “It gives us lots of time to work with schools and staff and parents, to get communications out around our needs,” Lowell explained. Wichita school board members agreed during a workshop to pursue another bond. They would still have to pass an official resolution to put it to voters. An advisory group has told school leaders that the district needs to clarify its message before seeking another bond.
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Injured Worker Rescued from Ellinwood Water Tower
ELLINWOOD, Kan. (KSN) — Emergency crews on Wednesday rescued a man who fell inside a water tower in the central Kansas town of Ellinwood. KSN reports the man was performing maintenance work when he fell and was injured. Ellinwood Fire and EMS responded and were able to get the man out of the tower and carefully lower him to the ground. Officials have not released the name of the man or the extent of his injuries. He was listed in stable condition at a Wichita hospital.
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Motorist Ticketed for Driving 100 Miles an Hour—in a Construction Zone
JUNCTION CITY, Kan. (KSN) — The Kansas Highway Patrol ticketed the driver of a 2022 Kia on Wednesday for driving 100 miles an hour–in a construction zone. The driver was clocked in a construction zone along Interstate 70 near Junction City in Geary County, where the speed limit was 60. According to the Highway Patrol, a trooper monitoring the work zone pulled the vehicle over after witnessing it speeding and illegally passing other vehicles in a no-passing zone. KSN reports the driver was cited with two infractions. The total cost of the tickets is nearly $1,000.
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Kansas Measles Cases Climb to 88
TOPEKA, Kan. (KPR) — Another new case of measles has been reported in Kansas, bringing the total in the state this year to 88. Most of the cases are concentrated in southwest Kansas, with Gray and Haskell counties reporting 49 cases between them. The Kansas Department of Health and Environment says children four and under continue to be hit the hardest, with a case rate more than double the rate of any other age group. Measles can cause serious health complications, especially in children younger than five.
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Boil Water Advisory Issued for Douglas County Rural Water District #6
LAWRENCE, Kan. (KPR) — State health officials have issued a Boil Water Advisory for Douglas County residents served by Rural Water District Number 6. The district serves rural water customers who live southeast of Lecompton, not including the city itself.
The advisory took effect Wednesday and will remain in effect until further notice from the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE).
The water system is currently at risk of bacterial contamination because of a break in a waterline, resulting in the loss of pressure in the distribution system. Failure to maintain adequate pressure can result in a loss of chlorine.
Customers should observe the following precautions until further notice:
- Boil water for one minute prior to drinking or food preparation or use bottled water.
- Dispose of ice cubes and do not use ice from a household automatic icemaker.
- If your tap water appears dirty, flush the water lines by letting the water run until it clears.
- Disinfect dishes and other food contact surfaces by immersion for at least one minute in clean tap water that contains one teaspoon of unscented household bleach per gallon of water.
- Water used for bathing does not generally need to be boiled. Supervision of children is necessary while bathing so that water is not ingested. Persons with cuts or severe rashes may wish to consult their physicians.
For consumer questions, please contact the water system at (785) 887-6225 or KDHE at (785) 296-5514.
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Report: Kansas Ranks Last in Nation in Protections for Contraceptive Access
UNDATED (KNS) — There are fewer protections for birth control access in Kansas than in any other state, according to new research. The Kansas News Service reports that the Population Reference Bureau, or PRB, a health research organization, recently released a scorecard grading each states’ policies on access to contraceptives. Christine Power with PRB says the study considers Kansas policies to be restrictive. But what really hurts the state’s score is a lack of policies supporting accessibility. Power explained that those policies include things “...such as contraceptive coverage, extended supply of contraceptives, and emergency contraception.” Power says Kansas lawmakers should consider filling those gaps to promote access to contraceptives.
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Lawrence Schools Could Lose $468,000 in Federal Grants
LAWRENCE, Kan. (LJW) — Lawrence public schools stand to lose $468,000 in federal funding after the Trump administration froze money already allocated to the district. Earlier this month, the administration notified states it was freezing more than $6 billion in federal education grants. The announcement came one day before the money was expected to be distributed. The Lawrence Journal World reports most of the money earmarked for the Lawrence school district was for grants that support recruitment, training, and retention of staff. Altogether, schools in Kansas are losing about $17 million in aid.
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Kansas to Get Millions in Opioid Settlement
UNDATED (KNS) — Kansas is set to receive millions of dollars through a nationwide legal settlement related to the opioid epidemic. The Kansas News Service reports that Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach says the settlement means the state will receive a total of $5.7 million from eight drug companies that manufacture opioids. Kansas data shows opioid overdoses have skyrocketed since 2016. More than two-thirds of all overdose deaths in 2022 were caused by opioids like fentanyl. But the total number of deaths from overdoses has fallen since 2023.
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Economist Says Solar Farms Could Still Benefit Kansas Despite Cuts to Federal Incentives
PITTSBURG, Kan. (KNS) — A Kansas economist says proposed solar farms will still be a boon to the state despite expected increased energy prices. The recent passage of the Trump Administration’s budget bill ended tax incentives for solar and wind energy projects. That will result in increasing costs for consumers. Craig Compton with the Center for Economic Development and Business Research at Wichita State University told the Kansas News Service that there are still economic benefits to green energy projects, like a proposed solar farm in Cherokee County. Compton says that project is expected to add millions of dollars to the southeast Kansas economy and increase the supply of energy. "The increase in that supply curve can serve to reduce the cost," he explained. Construction on the solar farm in Cherokee County is slated to begin in 2027.
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Wichita School Board Approves Contract Extension for District Superintendent
WICHITA, Kan. (KNS) — The Wichita school board has extended its contract with Superintendent Kelly Bielefeld. It includes a new agreement about intellectual property. The Kansas News Service reports that Bielefeld’s total compensation under the new contract is about $385,000 a year. That puts him among the highest-paid superintendents in the state. The contract includes new longevity bonuses and a boost to what the district contributes to Bielefeld's retirement. It also features a new agreement that the concept for a K-6 microschool launched last fall is Bielefeld's intellectual property. School board president Diane Albert says the contract is fair and appropriate. "We want to reward good quality staff members that are improving student achievement in a real measurable way," she explained. Bielefeld is starting his third year leading the state's largest school district.
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Chiefs Receiver Rashee Rice Gets 30 Days in Jail + Probation
UNDATED (KPR) - With training scheduled to open next week in St. Joseph, Missouri, the Kansas City Chiefs got some off-the-field news about wide receiver Rashee Rice. Rice will serve 30 days in jail and spend five years on probation after pleading guilty to a pair of felonies connected to a high-speed crash last year. According to a district attorney in Dallas, Rice was traveling almost 120 mph when he was involved in a multi-vehicle accident and then fled the scene. Rice will also pay the medical bills for the victims involved in the crash. Rice’s season with the Chiefs was cut short in 2024 because of a knee injury in October. Coach Andy Reid expects Rice to be healthy and ready for camp in St. Joe. But the next move is up to the NFL for any disciplinary action, which could be a suspension for multiple games.
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Iconic Pig Statue Stolen from Topeka Restaurant
TOPEKA, Kan. (KSNT) — A Topeka barbecue restaurant is asking for the public's help after its iconic pig statue was stolen. The large wooden statue sat in front of Lonnie Q’s BBQ, which is scheduled to reopen as Deano’s at Deer Creek later this year. KSNT reports the heavy statue was taken by two people in a pickup truck late Sunday night. The statue, nicknamed “Hamhock,” was bolted to the ground floor prior to the theft but had recently been moved so it could be touched up. Anyone with information about the missing wooden pig is asked to contact Shawnee County Crime Stoppers.
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